Sigh of relief for Glenrothes housing development campaigners

For members of the Concerned Newcastle Residents group (CNR) have learned that the six week time period in which Hallam Land Management, the developer behind the proposal, had to lodge an appeal to the Court of Session over the Scottish Government Reporter’s ruling to uphold Fife Council’s decision to refuse planning permission, has now lapsed.

The developer had appealed the planning decision despite the Fife authority having not only refused permission, but also refused to include the site in the FIFEplan - the council’s obligation to meet the Scottish Govenment’s house building plans for the next decade.

And CNR members received an added boost this week with the news that Fife Council had not included the site in the Fifeplan Examination Report, leaving the development proposal ‘dead in the water’.

“The double boost has come as a huge relief,” Brian Sherrins, CNR chairman told the Gazette, “It’s been an almost two year battle but it seems the the fight is over, at least for now.

“The reporter recognised and acknowledged in his ruling that there was considerable risks to the single access point to the site, with emergency access and with the impact on the residents of Newcastle. As residents we can now all breath a sigh of relief, but we will, however, continue to monitor the situation.”